Reading 1 Ez 1:2-5, 24-28c
that is, of King Jehoiachin’s exile,
The word of the LORD came to the priest Ezekiel,
the son of Buzi,
in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar.—
There the hand of the LORD came upon me.
As I looked, a stormwind came from the North,
a huge cloud with flashing fire enveloped in brightness,
from the midst of which (the midst of the fire)
something gleamed like electrum.
Within it were figures resembling four living creatures
that looked like this: their form was human.
Then I heard the sound of their wings,
like the roaring of mighty waters,
like the voice of the Almighty.
When they moved, the sound of the tumult was like the din of an army.
And when they stood still, they lowered their wings.
Above the firmament over their heads
something like a throne could be seen,
looking like sapphire.
Upon it was seated, up above, one who had the appearance of a man.
Upward from what resembled his waist I saw what gleamed like electrum;
downward from what resembled his waist I saw what looked like fire;
he was surrounded with splendor.
Like the bow which appears in the clouds on a rainy day
was the splendor that surrounded him.
Such was the vision of the likeness of the glory of the LORD.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 148:1-2, 11-12, 13, 14
or:
R. Alleluia.
Praise the LORD from the heavens;
praise him in the heights;
Praise him, all you his angels;
praise him, all you his hosts.
R. Heaven and earth are filled with your glory.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Let the kings of the earth and all peoples,
the princes and all the judges of the earth,
Young men too, and maidens,
old men and boys,
R. Heaven and earth are filled with your glory.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Praise the name of the LORD,
for his name alone is exalted;
His majesty is above earth and heaven.
R. Heaven and earth are filled with your glory.
or:
R. Alleluia.
And he has lifted up the horn of his people.
Be this his praise from all his faithful ones,
from the children of Israel, the people close to him.
Alleluia.
R. Heaven and earth are filled with your glory.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Alleluia See 2 Thes 2:14
God has called you through the Gospel
to possess the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel Mt 17:22-27
As Jesus and his disciples were gathering in Galilee,Jesus said to them,
“The Son of Man is to be handed over to men,
and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day.”
And they were overwhelmed with grief.
When they came to Capernaum,
the collectors of the temple tax approached Peter and said,
“Does not your teacher pay the temple tax?”
“Yes,” he said.
When he came into the house, before he had time to speak,
Jesus asked him, “What is your opinion, Simon?
From whom do the kings of the earth take tolls or census tax?
From their subjects or from foreigners?”
When he said, “From foreigners,” Jesus said to him,
“Then the subjects are exempt.
But that we may not offend them, go to the sea, drop in a hook,
and take the first fish that comes up.
Open its mouth and you will find a coin worth twice the temple tax.
Give that to them for me and for you.”
TELL-A-VISION
"Such was the vision of the likeness of the glory of the Lord." –Ezekiel 1:28
Ezekiel experienced an overwhelmingly awesome vision of the Lord. In this vision, God called Ezekiel to prophesy to the hardened, yet endangered Israelites. The king, Jehoiachin, was already in exile, and the people would soon suffer the same fate.
In Ezekiel chapters 2 and 3, the Lord sends Ezekiel to speak His prophetic words of warning to "rebels...hard of face and obstinate of heart" who "will refuse to listen to" Ezekiel (Ez 2:3, 4; 3:7). God tells Ezekiel several times to not be afraid and to speak all His words to this stubborn people. Instead of being discouraged, Ezekiel was "spiritually stirred, while the hand of the Lord rested heavily upon" him (Ez 3:14).
If you received the Eucharist yesterday, you've seen the Lord – in a way far superior to Ezekiel's vision. God called Isaiah and Ezekiel to prophesy in the midst of great visions. Likewise, God is calling you in the midst of your vision of Him. Some of you are called to be priests, others religious, others to the lay single vocation, and many others to be faithful husbands and wives.
All are called to be prophets to a hardened, yet endangered, age and culture no less obstinate than Ezekiel's. "Fear them not, nor be dismayed at their looks" (Ez 3:9), for God will make you stronger than they (see Ez 3:8-9; Jer 1:17-19). Accept your calling and vocation from the Lord. Speak His prophetic words. You are more than a conqueror in Jesus (Rm 8:37).
| PRAYER: | Father, I will open wide my mouth so You can fill it with Your words (Ps 81:11). Use me to break open the hardest hearts. |
| PROMISE: | "He will be raised up on the third day." –Mt 17:23 |
| PRAISE: | As he lay dying, St. Dominic exhorted his followers "to have charity, to guard their humility, and to make their treasure out of poverty." |
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